The attacks sparked a day of fighting with fighters from the PYD, a Kurdish militia linked to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) that has mobilized in increasing numbers and is determined to keep Kurdish territory from falling to foreign Islamists.

Seven al-Qaeda fighters were killed in the clashes, and two Kurdish women were also slain in a mortar attack. The towns appear to have remained under Kurdish control as of the end of the day, but fighting is likely not over.

Syria’s Kurds have attempted to remain independent from both the Assad government and the rebels, and have carved out increased autonomy in their region. Close proximity to Turkey, a backer of rebels, is making them a target.

As various rebel factions try to get a leg up over one another, border crossings with Turkey have come at a premium as a way to smuggle weapons and fighters into the country. Kurdish crossings have been a source of major clashes.

Author: Jason Ditz

Where is that Turkish "democracy" to stop these barbarians to inter Syria and where is that Turkish mighty NATO militarism to demolish these Al-Quaeda terrorism. Turkish government is up to its neck helping these Saudi barbarians so is their NATO protected military. Turkish government prosecuted few generals accusing them of wanting to overthrow the government of Erdogan, they did that for such time knowing that they need to clear generals that are against such times when Erdogan would show his true Islamic face helping Saudis barbarians fighting Syrian people and Kurdish people, keep in mind that both Kurdish people and Syrian government by the Erdogan government considered to be the enemy of Turkey.

Mark Thomason

This is even more odd because Turkey does not want independent Kurds on its border. It fears that will lead to trouble among its own Kurdish population adjacent.

richard young

Daily we are provided by our media detailed reports of notorious Al Qaeda groups openly operating at precise locations in Syria — but not one report of a single US drone or other military strike on these blatantly overt Al Qaeda operations anywhere in Syria for the past many months. Apparently our President and other political leaders (including Congressional intelligence committee chairs of both political parties) now regard Al Qaeda as a useful ally in a common effort to oust the Syrian government by any means necessary — and have therefore granted Al Qaeda a "safe haven" in Syria. In my view this is grounds for impeachment of the President and every political official who is supporting this shameful alliance with the same terrorists who struck our nation on 9/11 and now providing them a "safe haven" from which to kill innocent Syrians.